


Time to Spare

by actualparrot



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: AU, Dogs, Domestic Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Happy parts, Illnesses, Kisses, M/M, Multi, Sad parts, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:06:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7848025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualparrot/pseuds/actualparrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This fic is based on the movie ''Alle Tijd'', which roughly translates to "Time to Spare''. No need to watch it first. It's dutch and really great. Completely AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments or kudos and let me know what you think!

This is Aaron, on the outside he looks like a scruffy, moody machanic with deep blue eyes and a smile that can light up the world. On the inside he's actually not so very different, he's loving, loveable and a little scared.

In his wallet there may be a tenner, a condom and a picture. It's a picture of a blond woman with a smile just like Aaron's, a tall blond man in a maroon suit and a man with curls and big brown eyes. On the background you can see children play, one of them is Harry. Harry's mother suffered and died, just like Aaron's, from Ductal carcinoma. That's why they have a special bond, Aaron and Harry.

  
When Aaron was young he lived together with his mother in a simple flat in the middle of Hotten. Aaron's dad had never been in around and if it was up to Aaron, he would never be. Back then Chas, Aaron's mother, was pregnant. She never told him the full story about who the father was, she always said he was too young or he wouldn't understand and that was all right.

At a certain morning, Chas passed out. Aaron rushed her to the hospital and she was diagnosed with Ductal carcinoma.  
The hospital bills were high and Chas couldn't work anymore. The insurance money wasn't enough so Aaron quit school and started working at a garage. He'd put his dreams to become a musician aside to take care of her.

Sometimes he'd have time and perform together with his best friend Adam, who had the voice of angel. They wrote songs about everything. From shoes to kings to coming out and back to the shoes.

When Chas died Aaron was left with his little sister, Liv. Aaron used to call her ''his mum's daughter''. But in a way, he became her dad. He raised her and they were mates just as much as family.

And for those of you that don't know what Ductal carcinoma is, it's breastcancer.

 

Skipping 18 years in time, Aaron woke up and realised he had overslept.

  
''Liv!'' He yelled. ''Wake up, you've got exams!'' He went downstairs and started making her lunchbox. When he sat down at the kitchen table and started eating his breakfast, she grabbed her jacked from the couch and took a sip of his coffee.

  
''I'm tired.'' She said.

  
''No surpise,'' Aaron said. ''you only came home at half past 2.'' Liv laughed. ''I couldn't sleep,okay? Anyway, what are you doing for dinner tonight?''

  
''Tony'' Liv said and she stood up and started looking for her keys.

  
''Tony? I didn't know he could cook?''

  
''Cause he can't, I'm cooking.'' She said when she found them. ''Bye!'' She yelled before slamming the door.

Aaron looked up from his cereal and saw her lunchbox. ''Liv!'' He yelled as he ran after her.

  
''Yeah?'' She said.

  
''You forgot your luch, again. And you know what, bring Tony her tonight. I'll cook''

  
''Okay, but I'll buy groceries. See you later!'' And she drove away.

.....

Liv was walking hand in hand with her boyfriend while she picked out groceries and placed them in the basket he was holding.  
''When are you planning on moving out?'' He asked. ''If I want to lent my brother's van I need to know a date.''

  
''I'm not taking that much with me, just some clothes and bookes.''

  
''And the rest?''

  
''The rest stayes with Aaron.''

  
''That's what you decided together?'' He said when she handed him a bag of tometoes.

  
''We haven't really had the time to decide anything, 'cause I haven't told him yet.''

  
''Oh, so you're just going to leave without letting him know first?''

  
''It's just, I'm leaving already, I don't want to take half of our stuff with me too.''

  
''So what are you going to do?'' Liv sighed and handed him an onion.

  
''I'll call Adam for some advice.'' She said.

  
''Is that really the smartest move?'' Tony asked her. ''Those two tell each other everything.''

  
''Yeah, I know.'' Liv said. ''That's why.''

.....

''Move in together?'' Aaron said, pointing the spoon he was holding at Adam ''Why did she tell you first?''

  
Adam took a sip of his beer and smiled. ''Probably because she knew you'd react this way.''

  
''I won't let her, she's gotta finish school first and there's is no way she will, living with him!''

  
''Aaron, chill out, mate. Some people her age have kids already.''

  
''Bullshit, Adam. We don't have any kids.'' He said, going back to cooking.

  
''Not yet.'' Adam mumbled.

  
''You don't even have a girlfriend.''

  
''Good thing you keep reminding me of that.''

  
''This isn't the time to be all sensitive about that.''

  
''I think she told me to make sure you can talk about this tonight without behaving like a couple of kids. And so you won't jump to your gay complaining mode,'' Aaron turned around and looked like he was gonna argue, but Adam cut him off.''And this isn't the time to be all sensitive about that.''

.....

Dinner was a disaster. Aaron and Liv didn't listen to each other and Tony was being a prick as always. While brother and sister were doing the dishes, Adam and Tony drank a pint in the garden.

  
''They've stopped yelling, that's a good sign at least.'' Adam said.

  
''Suppose.''

  
''Whose idea was it actually, the moving in together?''

  
''Why?'' Tony said, yawning. ''It was Liv's, but I wanted to as well. I thought it was time for the two of us.'' Adam nodded. ''I love Liv, but I don't need Aaron hanging around all the time.''

  
''Well that's your luck then, 'cause when you get Liv, you get Aaron too. Like a bonus offer. And me too, don't forget that.'' Adam said and he opened another bottle.

  
''In time they'll all realise this is how it's supposed to go.''

  
''Yeah, let's drink that, Tones!''

  
''You're one of the oldest blokes I know that still uses bad nicknames.'' Tony said, laughing.

.....

2 weeks later, Liv had left and Aaron was working on his car when Adam walked up to him.

  
''Oh it's you.'' Aaron said.

  
''I'd be a little bit happier with that if I were you.'' Adam said, and he winked. Aaron sighed and went back to fixing the car. ''Don't be like that, mate. Come on, I got a surprise for ya.'' Adam said. He walked away and came back with a big box in his arms. ''For the empty nest syndrome.'' He said.

Aaron opened the box and saw a little brown boxer puppy in there.  
''A dog, Adam? Seriously?''

  
''Yeah, he was the only dog left from all of his brothers and sisters. Nobody wants him. 'Cause he's gay.''

  
''Dog aren't gay.''

  
''This one is, it's a gay.''

  
Aaron picked the dog up and held him in his arms. ''He is cute, isn't he?''

.....

Tony walked down the stairs, _their_ stairs. He still couldn't believe it.

  
''Good morning, babe.'' He said after he kissed his girlfriend. ''How about some breakfast for your beloved boyfriend?''

  
''Make it yourself.'' She said while reading the newspaper.

  
''I beg your pardon?''

  
''What part of that sentence was too complicated for you?'' She put down the paper and smiled.

  
''Well, I thought it was one of those perks of living together. You, taking care of me. 'Cause it doesn't matter if you don't give me breakfast or if I don't get myself some breakfast.''

  
''Yeah, well it matters a little bit if you take care of that,'' She pointed at the bobble in his pants. ''or if I do that.'' She put her hand on it and twisted it a little.

  
''I've got work, Liv. Wor- ahh forget it.'' He bend down and gave her a long hot kiss. ''Great idea this living together.''

 

  
Let's say Tony came a little too late at work that day.

.....

Aaron was at the vet with Clyde. He had been acting a little weird and he wanted too check if he was okay.

  
''It looks like leishmania.'' The vet said. He looked young, smart and super cute. His half long dark hair wasn't styled and his face was filled with concentration.

  
''Help me,'' Aaron said. ''I don't know that much about dog diagnoses, yet.'' The vet laughed and washed his hands.

  
''It's an illness that takes down the immune system. There is medication, but he'll have to keep taking it his whole life.''

  
''Some sort of dog aids then?'' The vet laughed again.

  
''I suppose you could explain it like that, yeah. I'd like to have him come here regularly, do some tests. Just to be sure.''

  
''Is it because he's gay?'' Aaron asked, he felt stupid as soon as the words left his mouth.

  
''What do you mean?'' The vet asked.

  
''Adam, the person that gave Clyde to me, said that he's gay. And that's why he was the last one from his family.''

  
''I think that that Adam has got a great imagination.''

  
''Yeah, tell me about it.''

The vet opened the door and waved at Clyde. ''Goodbye Clyde, and goodbye owner of Clyde.''

  
''Bye, doctor..... of Clyde.'' Aaron said before leaving.

.....

Adam and Aaron were eating dinner at a restaurant next to a pub.

  
''So I need to keep track of his shitting pattern, or something.'' Aaron said.

  
''No, you need to stop talking so loud.''

  
''I'm talking about a dog!''

  
''Yes, and very loudly for almost an hour now.''

  
''I'm just really happy with him.''

  
''And it's great, but maybe you need to find someone whose shit you don't have to carry with ya.''

  
''Yeah, and how is it going with your quest for a girlfriend?''

  
''Why do you always do that? As soon as we start talking about you, you turn it around?''

  
Aaron took a big last bite of his cheeseburger. ''I just want Liv back.'' He said when he'd swallowed.

  
''Liv's with Tony.'' Aaron gave him a mad look. ''What?'' Adam said. ''It's true. Liv and Tony are together. And you're free, you've got a very nice gay dog and a hilarious best friend that wants to spend time with you as well. So just keep on complaining, I'm going to the loo.'' Adam stood up and walked away.

  
Aaron looked around and saw a drunk man coming his way.

''I'm gonna get us some more beer, who wants some?'' He yelled. His friends looked the other way and were clearly done with him. The man almost walked over Aaron's table.

''Use your eyes, dickhead.'' The man mumbled.

  
''Prick.'' Aaron said.

  
''Fairy.''

  
''Patato.''

  
''Patato? Is that the best you can come up with?'' He burped. ''Where's Chrissie?''

  
''Who's Chrissie?'' Aaron asked, irritated.

The man burped again and puked over Aaron's table. He quickly stood up and pushed him over. After a few bad words the security guy came and pushed the drunk man against a tree. Others were already clearing up the table.

  
''Can't I even go and piss these days?'' Adam said, laughing.

  
''Sssss- sorry.'' The man stumbled, he looked good, apart from the puke on his clothes. He looked older than Aaron, 40 at highest.

  
''Let him go.'' Aaron said. ''He's drunk, he didn't mean to do it.'' The security guy let him go and he immediately fell over. Aaron could just about catch him. ''Come on, help me. We can't just leave him like this.'' He told Adam.

''I don't see why not.'' He said, looking at the food he had left now lying on the ground.

  
''Good luck with that!'' A woman that had sat next to the drunk guy yelled. She drove off.

.....

Aaron had taken him home with him and put him on the couch. He'd felt the weird urge to stare at him while he was sleeping. I'm being stupid, he told himself, the guy had a girlfriend. Well, sorta. He wasn't wearing a wedding ring, he thought. He was out of his league anyway. With his expensive aftershave and shoes. Probably only interested in intellectuals and millionaires. He did have something cute about him. Small freckles across his face and his blond hair all messy. He slept peacefully underneath the one direction sheets Aaron'd grabbed from Liv's old room.

The next morning when he was brushing his teeth the man came in. He was only wearing his boxershorts and t-shirt with puke on it, which he could still put off.  
''Never learned to knock?'' Aaron said, trying to be mad at the cute face.

  
''Chrissie?'' The man said. ''You've changed.'' He laughed. For a moment Aaron was speechless, that laugh was one of the best sounds he'd ever heard. He needed to hear it again.

  
''I'm not Chrissie,'' Aaron said, ''Chrissie walked away. Smart girl, that Chrissie.''

  
''No kidding.'' The man said.

  
''I'm Aaron. And you drank too much last night.'' He gave the man a hand and felt a shock going trough him. He could see the man felt it too because he blushed. The moment was gone.

  
''I should stop doing that.'' The man said. Aaron looked at him confused. ''Drinking.'' He explained.

  
''Yeah, right. Good idea. You, err, you want some coffee?'' Aaron felt himself blushing.

  
''Yes please.'' The man said as he started taking of his clothes.

  
''Can't you wait with that 'till I've left the bathroom?''

  
''What, never seen a naked man before?'' He laughed. Aaron looked at him as he walked out.

.....

Aaron was cooking breakfast when the man came downstairs.

  
''Do you do that often?'' He asked.

  
''What?''

  
''Taking drunk man home.''

  
''As often as possible.'' He joked.

  
''Strange hobby.'' The man said laughing, oh God that laugh. Aaron almost got lost in it.

  
''You want some milk?'' He asked.

  
''Yes please, I'm Robert by the way.'' He shook his hand again, an even bigger shock went trough him and didn't leave him this time.

  
''Ugly name.'' He said.

  
''Yeah, you're right. Aaron, right?'' He went to stand behind Aaron while he was baking an egg. ''Well, thank you, Aaron. For picking me up and taking me to your house and for letting me sleep under your one direction sheets.''

  
''Those are my sister's.'' He said while turning around.

  
Suddenly he felt Robert's lips on his, short and sweet.

  
''I'm sorry.'' Robert said. ''I didn't,... I..'' He was making weird gestures with his hands as he stumbled on his words.

  
Aaron leaned in and they kissed again. Longer and hotter this time. Aaron put his hands on Robert's hips and Robert played with his hair. Not so straight then, Aaron thought as he let his hands wander of Robert's body.

 

  
It's safe to say the eggs burned.


	2. Chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just continuing where I left off. Not quite sure how I'm going to do the Robert/Victoria thing when it happens, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave comments or kudos <3

When Aaron brought Robert to the bus station, he was smiling. Nothing had happened after the kiss. Even though he'd wanted to. He needed to take this slow. He always fell for someone too quickly. This time he would do it right.

Aaron hoped for a kiss goodbye or Robert's phone number, but it was soon obvious he was wrong. After a moment of silence, Robert spoke.

''I'm not gay.''

''Neh, me neither.'' Aaron joked. When Robert didn't laugh, his smile fell.

''I'm serious.''

''Of course you are.'' When Robert didn't react, Aaron got a bit annoyed. ''What do you mean?''

''I mean, I like you. You're nice and quite a good kisser. For a man, that is. But,'' Robert looked straight forward at the road and felt Aarons eyes on him. ''that's it.''

''Right,'' Aaron said a bit hurt. ''you see, I know straight guys. And they don't all go around kissing men.'' He kept looking at Robert and enough at the road to not cause any accidents.

''I'm a business man.'' Robert said, still not looking at him. ''I'm around guys in suits all the time. I never kiss them. I like women.''

''That's hot.''

''Stop messin'.''

''I'm not messin', you're messin'. You started.''

''Anyway, it's like, better, if you don't tell anyone about... what didn't happen. Alright?'' Robert said, turning to Aaron and trying not to fall for his eyes again.

''We're there.'' Aaron said, pointing to the bus station.

 

.....

 

''You're in love.'' Liv said, while handing Aaron a part of the engine.

''You reckon?'' He said with a sarcastic smile.

''So tell me, what's the problem? Why aren't you making out with him in your bed right now?'' Aaron rolled his eyes.

''He's straight.'' He said, Liv sighed.

''That sucks.'' She said and she sat down on the car bonnet.

''It's better this way.'' Aaron said with his head under the car. ''In the end we would cheat on each other anyway.''

''Who says that?'' Liv asked.

''Me, and I should know. It's happened enough times in the past.''

''You just had some bad experiences. That doesn't mean it has to be that way. Tony doesn't cheat on me, for instance.''

''Give it time.'' Aaron said angry. ''Hand me the next part, will ya?'' Liv gave it to him.

''You really can't handle rejection.'' Aaron stood up to take it and looked her in the eye.

''That has nothing to do with you, Liv. You and him, it's just young love. You just need it to grow up, learn a few lessons. There's nothing wrong with it, but please be realistic.''

''We're getting married.'' She said all of a sudden.

''Don't be silly.'' He laughed as he got back under the car.

''He asked me. He got down on one knee and told me he'd always be there for me.'' She bent down underneath the car. ''He LOVES me.''

''I'm hungry.'' Aaron said when he stood up, again. ''There should be some sandwiches in here.''

Liv watched him leave and kicked the car. ''Damn it!'' She yelled.

 

.....

 

Aaron and Adam where in Adam's appartment watching a movie.

''Stop eating all the damn popcorn, Adam. There are other people, you know!''

''I will, when you stop being so moody. Not even when you think you've got good reasons to be.''

Damn, Aaron thought, he knows me too well.

''She's getting married.'' He said.

''And you should be happy for her.''

''How can I be when it's that attention seeking dick she's getting married to!''

''Just relax, mate. It's her life, she can do what she likes. Why don't you just concentrate on the movie and I'll stop eating popcorn so I'll fit in my suit for the big day. All right?''

''Fine.'' Aaron said as he grabbed the popcorn and put a handfull in his mouth.

 

.....

 

''Wait.'' Tony said. ''What did you do?''

''I told Aaron you proposed.'' Liv said, staring at the picknick she prepared. ''On one knee, by the way.''

''And you think that's a good reason?''

''Actually, I do.'' She said with a wink.

Tony sighed annoyed, sat down on one knee when took her hand. ''Dear Olivia,'' He said. ''will you marry me?''

''I will.'' She said before kissing him. She couldn't remember ever feeling so happy with someone.

''Good thing we've got that sorted then. Any more requests?''

''You could hand me that cake over there.'' She pointed.

''Anything for my fiancée.'' He said, kissing her again.

 

.....

 

Aaron walked into the ice sallon

''Chocolate.'' He said. ''No, wait, make it strawberry. Or no banana. No, all of them, please.''

''Coming up.'' The woman behind the counter said.

Aaron looked at his phone until he heard a familliar voice.

''Hey, Chrissie.'' Robert said to him.

''Robert.'' Aaron said, smiling. He hadn't seen him after he dropped him off and he hadn't stopped thinking about him.

Robert smiled and walked back to a group of guys he'd come from. After a moment he came back.

''Forgot you're keys, have ya?'' Aaron asked.

''Nope, just wanted to see how you were doing.''

''I'm fine.'' Aaron said, surprised.

''You fancy dinner sometime?'' Robert asked him with the sweetest smile Aaron had ever seen.

''Yeah.'' Aaron said immediatley. He could kick himself for being so easy.

''Good,'' Robert said as he handed him a card. ''Call me. Bye, Chrissie.''

Aaron watched him leave while grinning like an idiot, then he looked at the card. Robert Sugden, it said, with a phone number.

''Here you go,'' The woman behind the counter said, handing him the ice cream, ''Chrissie.'' She added with a smile.

 

.....

 

''Can't you talk to him?'' Liv said to Adam when she barged into his living room.

''I can, but I agree with him on the marriage part.'' Liv looked dissapointed. ''What did you expect? A few weeks ago you still lived at home and now you're getting married. And for what reasons?'' Adam said as he walked to the sofa. ''He'll come 'round.'' He sat down.

''How do you know that for sure?''

''Robert is coming for dinner on friday.'' Liv's face lit up.

''Are we invited?'' She asked with a big smile. Adam shook his head. She grabbed Adam's song book and looked at the newest ones.

''Who's Victoria?'' She asked when she saw 10 songs with that title.

''No one.'' Adam said when he took in from her and put it in a drawer. Liv smiled, Adam never bonded after what had happened to him a year ago. He'd lived with them for a while then before he found his own apartment. She's known him her whole life and he was one of her best friends.

''You should bring her for dinner on friday.''

''No way.'' Adam said. ''She'd never talk to me again if she saw you two.''

''Fine.'' Liv said, smiling.

 

.....

 

On friday Aaron was cooking spaghetti when the doorbell rang.

''Surprise!'' Adam, Liv and Tony yelled when he'd opened the door.

''It's just us.'' Liv said as she went inside.

''No need to look so nervous.'' Adam said.

''Eventhough you've got reasons.'' Tony said with a fake smile.

When they were all in the kitchen setting the table, Aaron didn't know what to say.

''Why are you here again?'' He asked.

''To make sure you don't ruin your chances with this one. You never cook for anyone other than us.'' Adam said. ''You'd mess this up on your own.''

''Maybe.'' Aaron said. ''But please don't talk about it.'' He added as he went back to cooking.

''About what?'' Liv asked. ''About him and me, about that we,... you know.'' Aaron said, nervous.

''You fucked.'' Tony said.

''Don't, Tony. I visualize quickly.'' Adam said.

''Well, we haven't even fu-. As if that's any of your business anyway.''

''So we're not allowed to know anything about you two?'' Liv asked.

''There is no us. There's just a Robert and an Aaron.''

''But no Robert _and_ Aaron.'' Adam said.

''That's a shame.'' Tony said. ''There is a Liv _and_ Tony though.''

''I know, Tony.'' Aaron said, already sick of him.

''If you're going to fight, I'm leaving.'' Liv said with her hands on her hips.

''Fine.'' They both mumbled.

''Aaron doesn't mean to, he's just a bit nervous.'' Adam said.

''I'm not nervous.'' The doorbell rang again and Aaron was short of breath for a moment. ''Do I look okay?'' He asked Liv. '

'As if you just stepped out of a bandbox.'' Liv said. He walked away.

''Or a closet.'' He heard Tony say.

 

.....

 

''Hi, Chrissie.'' Robert joked.

''Hey,'' Aaron said, ''is that really how you're going to call me?''

''Till I find something better.'' Aaron stared at him for a moment, he looked good. A blue shirt and neat trousers. His teeth were gleamed and that smile, Aaron felt like he could look at him forever.

''Can I come in?'' Robert asked.

''Yeah, yes, of course.'' Aaron stumbled. ''Idiot.'' He whispered to himself.

Robert walked into the kitchen with Aaron behind him. Who was checking out his arse until he heard Tony speaking again.

''So this is the famous Robert.'' He stated. ''Heard a lot about you. Take a seat, mate.''

If looks could kill, I suppose you can guess what would've happened.

Dinner went well, stories were told, wine was spilled and jokes were made. At the end of it, nobody had room left for dessert.

''It was delicious.'' Adam stated with the spaghetti sauce all over his face.

Liv had put on one of her favorite cd's and sat back down at the table.

''Oh Liv, not the funeral music, please.'' Aaron said.

''Aaron thinks it's musically not interesting enough.'' Liv explained to Robert, who laughed.

''Our mum has given me all the musical genes.'' Aaron told him.

''It's not funeral music, and by the way, what's wrong with funeral music? The whole idea of it is that it's really good, right?'' Liv said.

''Is this an interesting topic?'' Aaron asked.

''Yes it is.'' Liv said. ''I imagine it sometimes. I want people in colourful clothes and those drinks with champagne and peach. What's that called again?''

''Liv this isn't-.'' Aaron began. ''It is, Aaron. And it's mimosa, Liv.'' Adam said.

''What do you want, burial or cremation?'' Robert asked Aaron.

''Burried,'' Aaron said, suddenly confinced by Robert, ''next to my mum. With a nice tombstone.''

''And what would be written on it?''

''I dunno. Here lies Aaron, sorry for not calling back. Or something'' He said with a weak smile.

Liv laughed, ''What about you, Adam?''

''Here lies Adam, a fantastic dad.'' He said.

''Do you have childeren?'' Robert asked him.

''No.'' He said. ''But my girlfriend was pregnant,'' He swallowed, ''then she got hit by a car and they were both gone. And I was alone.''

He had watery eyes, Liv placed a hand on his shoulder. ''But you've got me.'' She said with a sympathetic smile.

''Yeah.'' He said as he sat up straight and wiped his eyes. ''Let's drink to that, aye!''

They all took a sip of their drinks and it was quiet for a moment.

''When did you actually realise you were gay, Robert?'' Tony asked.

''Oh don't mind him. He's an actor, it's sort of an attention thing.'' Aaron said, looking Tony dead in the eye before Robert could react.

''Am I being interested for once and he's still complaining!'' Tony said.

''It's actually very impertinent, Tony, and you know that. That's why you said it, really.''

''He can ask whatever he wants, Aaron.'' Robert said, turning his attention to Tony. ''I'm not entirely sure.''

''Not entirely or not at all?'' Liv asked.

''Not entirely, how can you really? When did you know?'' He asked Aaron.

''I've always known.'' Aaron said. ''Had a hard time really coming to terms with it, still.''

''When Aaron was young he used to dream that he lived in a guy's underpants.'' Liv said. Everyone laughed.

''Oh, that time already.'' Tony said sarcastically.

''Yeah, I should go.'' Robert said. ''Thanks for tonight, I had a lot of fun.''

''Didn't we all?'' Tony said with a weird voice. Aaron looked at him angry again. ''What have I done now?''

Aaron stood up. ''I'll show you out.'' He said.

Everyone said their goodbyes and then Aaron and Robert went outside.

''I'm sorry.'' Aaron said. ''What for?''

''Just for Tony and the whole ending.''

''No big deal, I didn't really expect you to not say anything.'' They walked to the street slowly. ''I really had a good time tonight. So, thanks again, for everything, that is.'' He stood still in front of Aaron.

''My pleasure.'' Aaron said with a flirty smile.

They both smiled at each other as Robert walked away. Aaron's face fell and he looked to the ground. Robert looked over his shoulder and turned around, with a few big steps he stood in front of Aaron again. He cupped his face and kissed him. Aaron put his arms around Robert and never wanted to let go. He felt warm and he could still taste the wine on his tongue. At some point they had to let go of each other to catch their breaths again. Robert turned around and walked away smiling at the young man.

When Robert was really gone, Aaron made his way back in to find Adam, Tony and Liv in front of the window with their tumbs up. He couldn't stop smiling.

 

.....

 

''That means I choose you.'' Tony said. ''My girl, my life.'' He placed his lips on the other girls' just as the lights went out. They were both in their underwear and fell down on the bed.

Aaron, Adam, Liv and the rest of the audience applauded and put their tumbs up. Aaron thought it was a crappy play, but seeing how much Liv had enjoyed it, made him smile. She screamed and waved at Tony like she'd never get another chance. Aaron had never seen her fall so head over heels for someone before. They went to the big hall and met Tony, who, apparently, still felt very much in character as he pulled Liv into a very hot kiss. Aaron and Adam walked to the bar.

''I thought it was quite a romantic play.'' Adam said.

''You were asleep!'' Aaron said, smiling.

''God, I wish I was. They spoke way too loud for that.''

''I thought it was shit.'' Robert said. Aaron turned around and saw him standing at the end of the stairs.

''So why are you here then?'' Aaron asked him.

''Your sister invited me.'' Robert said with a big smile as he walked up to them.

''I'll get the drinks in, shall I.'' Adam said as he walked to the bar.

 

.....

 

Liv and Tony were sitting at a table with a drink, when the actress from earlier sat down at Tony's lap and kissed him. Liv had almost pulled her of him and burried her in the deepest hole on earth, but she managed to control herself.

''H- hey.'' Tony said when she let him go.

''We were great together.'' She said with a wink, then looking at Liv with a questionable look.

''Liv this is Molly, Molly this here is Liv.'' Tony pointed at her.

''Weird name, Molly.'' Liv said, trying to hide her anger.

''I, I didn't know you had a err, girlfriend, Tony.'' Molly said as she stood up.

''Yeah, we're even getting married soon, aren't we?'' Liv said looking at Tony, then turning to Molly. ''I almost didn't recognise you, with your clothes on.'' She laughed. ''You were great up there, so talented.''

''Yeah...'' Molly said, getting the message. ''I gotta... Hey, Marc!'' She said as she walked away.

Tony sighed deeply and took a big gulp of his pint.

 

.....

 

''So you're not here for me then?'' Aaron asked Robert as they walked outside. It was the end of June and the sun was shining her last bit of sunlight when the streetlights went on. It was still warm and Robert face was blushed from the heat inside.

''Okay, well, I like you.'' He said. ''But I'm not in love with you. And I won't be any time soon.''

''Right.'' Aaron said. ''Well, you can go now.''

''I'd cheat on you anyway, with a girl. And I don't want to hurt you.''

''Because you _just_ like me.'' Aaron said.

''We only kis-.'' Robert saw a person walking by and went silent. With a quiet voice he continued. ''kissed a little. That doesn't count.'' He looked at Aaron with hope he would understand.

''It counts for me.'' He said with a little smile. He lifted his shoulders and took a step back from Robert. Who smiled and gave in. Adam came outside with beers in his hands and Aaron waved at him as he followed Robert to his car.

 

.....

 

When they stood outside Robert's apartment, Aaron smiled.

''Gunna offer me a brew then, are ya?'' He asked.

''I'm not that kinda guy.'' Robert laughed. ''Well, I am, actually. But then you've got size 6 and long blond hair.''

''Yeah, so?'' Aaron said with a flirty smile stepping closer to Robert.

When they were inside Robert's apartment and he put on the lights, Aaron was in shock. Plates and glasses were everywhere. Empty bottles and pieces of left over food were on the floor and it looked like there hadn't been a vacuum cleaner inside, ever.

''God, you're bad at taking care of yourself.'' Aaron said as he walked into the kitchen and looked around.

''I said you shouldn't mind the mess.''

''Why don't you come and live with me, then I can be bad at taking care of you.'' Aaron said, a little nervous about his words.

''You'd like that, wouldn't ya.'' Robert said with a little smile as he cleared the couch.

''Yeah, yeah I would.'' Aaron said, walking closer to Robert.

''Listen, Aaron, I don't know if-.'' Robert was cut off by Aaron.

''Shut up.'' He said, before kissing Robert. Robert kissed him back and put his arms around his neck.Aaron dragged him down on the, almost clean, couch.

Their tongues circled around each other and their hands were roaming over their bodies. Aaron started opening the buttons of Robert's shirt and Robert started undoing Aaron's belt.

''I want you.'' Robert whispered, barely audible.

''I know.'' Aaron pulled off Robert's shirt and his own T-shirt. He threw them away and they landed on a very old pizza. ''Okay, I don't need that one back.'' Aaron laughed.

He looked at the beautiful, smiling, shirtless blonde on top of him and let his hands travel down his stomach. Robert kissed him and moaned into his mouth. Aaron's hands slowly went inside Robert's boxer's as he started kissing the other man's neck.

Robert suddenly stood up and pulled off the last remaining of his clothes. He grabbed Aaron's hands and pulled him into a kiss as they stumbled into his bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments ;)


	3. Chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Update! We're at 1/3 of the movie now, so I guess that's pretty good. There's a lot more to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos!

Aaron and Clyde were walking up to Liv's house.

  
''We're going to Liv.'' He said. ''Yes, yes we are.'' Before realising he was talking out loud to his dog. When he knocked, Tony came out in his underwear.

  
''Hey Tones!'' Aaron said with a big smile.

  
''So, you're in a good mood.''

  
''Yes, and you can't even ruin that. Listen, I'm dropping of Clyde hear. He seems to be allergic to our newest songs. But I can't get a hold of Liv, where is she?''

  
''Liv's out, she'll be home late. Just give me Clyde.''

  
''Be careful, all right? Bye.''

  
Tony closed the door and Aaron walked away, then something catched his eye. He walked around the house and looked through the window. A girl dressed in one of Tony's ugly T-shirts came down the stairs and patted Clyde. Then she kissed Tony and pulled down his shorts. Aaron knocked on the window and walked away.

  
''Aaron!'' Tony yelled. ''Wait, this isn't-''

  
''What? This isn't what I think it is?'' Aaron was ready to kill the guy in front of him. ''Is that what you're trying to say. Well, I know what I saw. That girl is gone in 5 minutes. I'm going now, and we agree this didn't happen. But if you ever, you hear me? Ever, pull a stunt like this again, I'll make sure you'll regret it. Understood? 5 minutes!'' Aaron walked away and kicked Tony's car.

  
''God damn it!'' Tony yelled before going inside.

  
.....

  
''And then what happened?'' Adam asked putting down the microphone.

  
''Then I went to Robert, he was so understanding. I think we-.'' Aaron was interrupted by Adam.

  
''Yeah, okay, but I was still talking about Tony and Liv.'' Adam said, irritated.

  
''Nothing, I haven't told her.''

  
''That's good.'' Adam smiled.

  
''How do ya mean?''

  
''You shouldn't.''

  
''But what if _he_ won't?''

  
''He will, the bloke's okay.''

  
''I never understood what you saw in that loser.'' Aaron said, still angry.

  
''He makes her laugh, he loves her. Here.'' Adam handed him his guitar.

  
''Weird way to show it.''

  
''Put those emotions to good use.'' Adam said. ''One, two...''

 

.....

 

Liv and Tony were at the fair. She shot right in the bull's eye.

  
''You die, motherfucker!'' She laughed.

  
The man from the shoot stall handed her a big brown teddy bear. ''Thanks,'' She said, then turning to Tony, ''here. For you, my teddy bear.'' Tony looked at her with a sad, fake smile. ''Come on, take it!'' She said. ''I'm not carrying it all night.''

  
''He didn't tell you.'' Tony said, holding the bear.

  
''What?'' She asked, her smile fell. ''Who didn't tell me what?''

  
''Aaron.''

  
''Aaron? What would Aaron have to tell me?'' Tony sighed. ''Tony? What's wrong?''

  
''Molly.'' He said.

  
Liv suddenly heard herself screaming as she grabbed the teddy bear from his arms and then threw it at him again.

  
''Liv, Liv, please.'' He stumbled as she walked away.

  
That night, when Liv was completely out of tears, Tony came home.

  
''Liv?'' He whispered when he sat down on the bed next to her. He tried to rub her arms, but she pushed him away. ''Liv, come on.'' She kept pushing him until he was standing. He grabbed some sheets and walked down the stairs.

  
Apparently, there were still a lot of tears left.

 

.....

 

A few days later, Aaron and Liv were and their mother's grave.

  
''Are you sad?'' He asked her.

  
''What a stupid question.'' She stated.

  
''Yeah, that's what I thought before I said it. Of course you're sad.''

''Of course I'm sad.''

  
''So, now what?'' He asked while changing the flowers.

  
''Now I'm gonna living with you again.'' She said.

  
''Really?'' He asked, Liv looked at him. ''Come on, I can dream right?''

  
''No way, Aaron. How are things going with Robert?''

  
''Don't ask.'' Adam said as he walked over. ''Before you know you get the porn version and you really don't want that.'' He stood still in front of Liv. ''No more crying?'' He asked, she shook her head. ''Good,'' He said as he pulled out a bottle of wine. ''got it from a very hot mortician. Or whatever you call such people. You want some?''

  
''No, thanks.'' Aaron said, getting an idea.

  
''Well I do.'' Liv said, ''Where are you going?''

  
''To surprise Robert.''

  
''Surprise him?'' Adam said. ''Is that really a good idea?''

  
''Why not?''

  
''Sometimes you can just be a bit, overwhelming. Especially to closet cases.'' Liv said.

  
''You're just jealous.'' He said.

  
''And by the way, shouldn't you be going to that hot vet with Clyde?'' Liv asked.

  
Aaron pulled a face, ''Please?'' he asked.

  
''Under one condition, that you'll be nice to Tony and stop wishing he was dead in a ditch.''

  
''That's blackmail.'' He said, before walking away with a smile.

  
''That's right.'' Liv laughed as she took a sip of her wine. ''Adam.'' She said. ''We're going.''

  
''But I'm comfortable!'' He complained.

  
''Yeah, with your nikes on my mum's head. Come on.''

 

.....

 

''Clyde, right?'' The vet asked, turning around.

  
''No that's the dog.'' Liv said.

  
''Yeah. If you could place him on the table. Hello little guy.''

  
Liv watched him as he inspected Clyde. He was good looking, cute and he had little dimples when he smiled. The vet caught her staring and went on.

  
''Are you that dark haired comedian's girlfriend?'' He asked

  
''No, that's my brother.'' She laughed. ''The clown.''

  
''So, you don't believe in the gay theory?''

  
''Sorry?''

  
''Your brother said, that someone said that Clyde was gay.'' He said, walking to the computer behind her. She felt his eyes on her and turned around.

  
''Yeah, don't really think that's true. Though he keeps singing the YMCA and he calls me darling.''

  
The vet laughed, ''Well, I've got some new medicine for Clyde.'' he said.

  
''Is that a good thing?''

  
''For Clyde it is.'' He said akwardly, ''They go in were normally the thermometer goes, so to speak.''

  
''Eww.'' He turned around and smiled at her. ''I'm Liv.'' She said, holding her hand out.

  
''Jacob.''

  
''Cute.''

  
''Excuse me?''

  
''You, you're cute.'' She said a little nervous, she wasn't that good at flirting.

  
Adam was in the hallway waiting for her.

  
''You're ready?'' He asked.

  
''Yeah, you go. Jacob just offered to buy me a drink.'' She said. Jacob looked up surprised from his papers.

  
''So, that's nice.'' She handed him the dog leash. ''Oh and Liv, give Tony my love.'' He said before leaving with Clyde.

  
''Tony.'' Jacob said.

  
''Yeah, that's my boyfriend. But he cheated on me so he deserves punishment. You want a drink?''

.....

Aaron was outside Robert's apartment and rang the doorbell. Above him a window opened and Robert appeared.

  
''Hey!'' Aaron said.

  
''What are you doing here?'' Robert asked, slightly panicked.

  
''I will explain once you've let me in.''

  
''Now's not a good time.''

  
''Why not?''

  
''My parents can be here any minute.'' Robert said, trying to keep his voice down.

  
''Okay, nice.''

  
''No, it's not nice. So if you could just... '' Robert waved a little with his hand.

  
''What, ''just''?'' Aaron asked. ''Oh,... mommy and daddy can't find out that their son likes to sleep with man!''

  
''Aaron, please, I live here.''

  
''Yes, you live here, where you can be who you are. And where you can date a bloke, without hiding!''

  
An old man had appeared behind Aaron and looked at him with a surly face.

  
''I beg your pardon?'' The man said.

  
''No, pardon, I'm yelling at my boyfriend 'cause he won't tell he's parents he fancies blokes!''

  
The man followed Aaron gaze to thewindow.

  
''Hey, dad.'' Robert said sadly. He closed the window and the man went inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave a comment, I love feedback ;)


	4. Chapter four (Robert)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, in the movie there is like zero background for Robert's character and it only shows Aaron's side. Which I found one of the bad points. That's why this chapter is about Robert, it's not very long, but I hope it explains enough about his character.

Robert had had the worst evening of his life. His dad wouldn't listen to his excuses and at some point he gave up trying to talk his way out of it and admitted he had ''a thing'' with Aaron. Diane was silent and gave Robert a few reassuring looks, she told him it would be okay, but not in the way a mom would. But in her own way, which Robert appreciated anyway.  
  
  
They didn't stay for dinner, like his dad had said he would. Robert had been trying for months now, to rebuild their relationship. He could even have a decent conversation with Andy from time to time and he felt like he had his life back on track again. Jack liked Chrissie and because of that he even considered letting his son back in his life. She had her way with him and Robert was all for it, it was one of the reasons he made more work of loving her. They had had a family dinner and for the first time in _years_ he felt like a part of their family again. Not completely, but a little bit, like a single Christmas ball in a gigantic tree.  
  
  
That had ended a while back, when Chrissie'd found out he'd slept with her sister, Rebecca. It was years ago and he'd lost interest in her after a few months. Still, he had cheated on Chrissie, but only with one night stands, and he didn't care for them in any way. Apparently, Rebecca hadn't quite let go of him yet, and she'd decided that this was the perfect time to try and get him back. She'd told Chrissie. She'd told Chrissie _her_ side of the story and Chrissie didn't bother to listen to his. Of course he tried to lie, to worm his way back to Chrissie, but it was all no use. She filed for a divorce, she threw her wedding ring at him and kicked him out.   
  
  
And that was how he'd ended up on Aaron's lap. He knew some people that were still in university and lived in the middle of the city, they'd helped him find a flat and wanted to be friends with him on top of that. It was nice to have people care about him, even if it was just because of his Rolex and his fancy car. But then his dad heard, and Robert knew of course that he would at some point, but not this soon. He'd yelled at him for ruining something that was so good for him and told him he was disappointed in him. Which hurt Robert more than he'd thought it would. He told him Chrssie deserved better than him and he was an idiot and an asshole for breaking her heart. Still, his dad wanted to have lunch with him and even if it meant being talked into the ground for an hour. Robert agreed, 'cause his dad was the most important person in his life.  
  
The ''friends'' he'd made and who where still pretty young, drank a lot. Not more than Robert could handle, tss he easily drank them under the table if he wanted to. But that's not the point. They knew Robert hadn't had the best time of his life and wanted to help in their way. Or they just wanted to get the old man drunk and laugh at him. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Robert couldn't really remember and frankly, didn't care. They were there, and a lot of people wouldn't. Because of them, Robert got drunk and that's what brought him to Aaron.  
  
  
And how weird as it may sound, he'd never been so happy to have puked on someone. No wait, scratch that, it does sound really weird. Anyway, he met Aaron, and everything changed. Robert had always known he wasn't gay, he liked women and he thought that that was it. But, apparently, it wasn't. He also found out that Aaron was it. No wait, he was _it_. Robert hadn't looked at someone like that in a long time, maybe ever. He liked the way Aaron always tried to do everything casual and keep things simple, meanwhile Robert could clearly see that there was so much more going on in that beautiful brain of him. Behind those gorgeous eyes. Robert also liked the way Aaron would pull his sleeves over his hands, and the way he would roll his eyes at Roberts bad jokes.  
  
  
So, Robert thought, considered, and decided he couldn't really deny it anymore. He was bisexual and it didn't change him. And even his dad's reaction didn't change his decision, 'cause he might be Robert Sugden, he might have made more mistakes in his life than he'd looked in the mirror. Which, believe me, is _really_ saying something. He might be all of that, but once he makes a decision that he truly believes in, he does not come back to it.  
  
  
So he was bi, and alone. And he cried, something he didn't do often, but if he did it he went all the way. He cried and cried, and he must have fallen asleep in a strange position at some point, because his neck hurt a lot the day after. And then he spend the whole day inside his flat with his phone turned off and Doctor Who on. He coped and at some point it felt okay and he went to work. He still didn't want to see Aaron though.  
  
Not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment or kudos if you want to! It makes me happy B)


	5. Chapter five (Liv)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is mostly Liv and what she's doing. More Robron will soon come, I promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you notice any mistakes, let me know. English isn't my first language (as you might have noticed) and I still have a lot to learn.

When Aaron had left Robert's street and walked to his car, he couldn't hold his tears back anymore. They escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks like raindrops, that's when he realised, it was actually raining. Of course his life had to be like a bad directed movie, he thought. When he reached his car, he kicked it and then went inside. He looked in the small mirror and saw his own puffy eyes. He'd messed everything up. Now he'd finally found someone he really liked, _maybe even more than that_. And he's messed it up. Why didn't he just keep his gob shut and let Robert take his time. No. No of course, he had had to be selfish. Robert would hate him now and it would be his own stupid fault.

  
The days after that slowly went by, Aaron was unbearably grumpy and wouldn't talk about what had happened to Liv or Adam. ''It's over, I outed him and he doesn't want to see me anymore.'' He'd snap at anyone that said more than a word to him, and even Adam had given up on trying to cheer him up and decided that hanging out with this work friend of him called ''Victoria'' would be nicer. Aaron didn't care, he just wanted to be alone. Some song ideas came to his mind at some point and when he wrote them down, it was the first time he felt like he'd been useful since he messed up Robert's life.  
  
.....  
  
Liv woke up in Jacob's bed and looked around, she was in her underwear and her hair was all over the place, by a figure of speech, of course. She smiled to herself remembering how much fun he night before had been. Jacob was a real gentleman and treated her like a princess. Unlike Tony, who she hadn't seen for a few days. She missed him, but hadn't forgiven him yet either. Whatever, she thought, let's enjoy this for now. She stood up and pulled a T-shirt out of one of Jacobs open drawers. It had the logo of some german band on it that she'd never heard of before. Jacob had told her about it and let her hear some songs. It wasn't Liv's kind of music, but she enjoyed watching Jacobs face light up as he sang along the words in german and thought he was impressing her with it. He was funny, and he made her laugh. That was what was important to her. She stood up  walked into the living room where she saw him drinking coffee in his underwear next to the fridge. She noticed the piano on the other side of the room and played the intro of ''Für Elise'' which, tragically, was the only song she knew. He applauded for her and she bow for him.

  
''You play?'' She asked as he pulled at her T-shirt. It was way too big, even for him, but he didn't care. He'd said she could take all the shirts she wanted. And he didn't have to tell her twice.

  
''Sometimes, when I have the time.'' Jacob answered.

  
''Can you play ''Carnivores animaux''?'' She asked, Jacob looked at her without a clue. ''You're a vet, right?'' She hugged Clyde who was sleeping on Jacobs couch and Jacob laughed. ''Aaron plays it for me sometimes.'' She added ''And I have you know, that composer didn't write anything for the sea lions. That's unfair, right?''

  
She sat down on the counter and he stood in front of her with a big grin on his face. Liv would've made a snarky comment about it, if it didn't make her smile so stupidly that she felt like she was is a rom-com. He slung his arms around her neck. ''That's very unfair. I'll write the sea lions for you, okay?''

  
She nodded and leaned in a little. ''That would be okay.'' She whispered.

  
''So will you shut up now?'' He asked as he kissed her neck. Her laugh soon filled his ears and Liv felt the happiest she had felt in a long time.  
  
.....  
  
Liv had no worries and was happily sleeping with Jacob and having fun, even Aaron was behaving a little more like his usual self. And stuff at school was going quite alright. Until she went to the store at some point, for what, she doesn't remember, but she walked along a path and looked at a few cakes. With jelly, custard and brownies and she ran to the toilet.

  
When she came out of the cube after puking her breakfast and feeling a little light-headed. A small old women smiled at her. ''A tummy upset or a congratulations due?'' She said while applying some dark red lipstick to her already red lips.

  
''Congratulations?'' Liv wondered.  
  
.....  
  
The day after she went grocery shopping with Aaron, she hadn't bought what she was supposed to the day before, so she went along with him. While she pushed the shopping trolley, he took some whine and hummed along with some old song Liv' had never heard before. To be honest, she wasn't really listening to what Aaron was grumping about, she was thinking about the best way to tell him. Up front would be the best, she never had much secrets for him. She'd tried to when she was younger and had fallen in love with the neighbour. Or the first time she got her period and ended up washing her own underwear and failing so bad she had to wear Aarons until she bought new ones. Aaron always found out and Liv didn't want him to not hear it from her.

  
She took a deep breath and looked up from her hands. ''Aa- Aaron?'' He'd just turned a corner and she pushed the shopping trolley with much effort around and hurried after him. ''Aaron, I'm pregnant.'' For a second she didn't know how Aaron would react. He turned around and looked at her with a plain expression.

  
''Pregnant?'' He repeated.

  
Ahh, there it was, Aarons worried face.

  
''For how long?'' He asked.

  
''Oh, you mean; lovely, I'm happy for you!'' Liv corrected.

  
''How,... how is this possible?'' He stuttered.

  
''It's not that difficult.'' Liv said with a straight face.

  
Aaron sighed and bent down. ''Well you can't drink this.'' He took the whine out. ''No cheese either, don't think this is a good idea.'' He put all the stuff back and then walked further.

  
''Aaron, stop.'' Liv said as she followed him.

  
''No, you should stop, Liv. You can live together, that's fine. Marrying is old-fashioned and stupid, but y'know, understandable. But this! This is ridiculous, Liv! You're so young, Tony's young! You don't have a clue about how to raise a child. Never sleep in, you always need a babysitter before you go out. And you're always worried about measles and mups, playing outside, sockets, gas cookets. You don't want that, I know you!'' Aaron claimed, while walking and putting some other stuff in the shopping trolley.

  
''Was it that bad?'' Liv said with a small voice. She'd always known Aaron had chosen to take care of her, he didn't have to, he could have given her to this weird aunt from Ireland, or given her up for adoption. But he hadn't, he'd been there. And it had been hard, for the both of them of course. She remembered all the times she'd yelled at him that he wasn't her dad and he would never be. Yeah, she definitely wasn't an easy teenager. And still, they had their issues. But they were okay, they were great, at least that's what she'd thought.

  
Quickly Aaron shook his head and he calmed down, he looked sorry and he hugged her. Yeah, she thought, they were definitely okay.  
  
.....  
  
''What? Oh jeez, Liv. Congratulations!'' Adam put his paperwork down and walked up to Liv and hugged her. ''My goodness.'' He sat down next to her on the couch and saw her beaming face. ''I'm really happy for you, I really am I just...'' He took a deep breath and she saw he was holding back some sadness.

  
'You've got your man, I mean, two men and now a child, a family.'' He looked proud and a big puppy smile appeared on his face. ''And err, I've got a date this weekend. And err...'' Adam looked down at his feet and smiled painfully. ''I'm sorry Liv, I'm being daft. It's wonderful for you and tomorrow we're going to celebrate, okay? We're going to do something nice, buy Bugaboos or sommat.''

  
''Okay.'' Liv said, smiling as she leaned in for a hug. She knew how hard this was to hear for him. She wanted it to be easy, and happy, but she knew he needed some time. ''See ya tomorrow then.''

  
''Yeah,'' he mumbled, ''tomorrow.''  
  
.....  
  
Liv was sitting outside Jacobs apartment on a bench, he'd come outside any moment and then she'd have to face reality. She hadn't seen much of him in the last week and when she saw him coming towards her on his bike she immediately smiled and looked him up and down. He was one of the kindest people she'd ever met and he was also really smart, he sensed something was wrong the very second he saw her sitting.

  
''Hey.'' He said. ''What err, what are you doing here?'' He didn't step off his bike and left the bench in between them.

  
''I came to say goodbye.''

  
''Are you leaving?''

  
''No, that's the point. I'm staying.''

  
He quietly nodded and looked down at her, she'd forgotten how tall he was, especially next to her.  
''So, that's it? Just like that?''

  
''No, not _just like that_.'' She felt really nervous and wiped her hands at her jacket. ''I have to try again.''

  
''Who says that?''

  
''I do.''

  
''For... For me... For us.'' She glanced down at her stomach, but he didn't notice. Secretly she was glad he didn't.

  
''I have to work, walk with me?''

  
''Yeah, sure.'' She walked with him down the street. ''Do you mind?'' She asked, and then she mentally punched herself in the face. How can anyone be so stupid? She thought.

  
''I'm gonna pretend like you didn't say that, okay?''

  
''It's just that... We talked and... It's really over with _Molly._ '' She almost spat out the name like it was poison. ''Tony wants to try again, and I just realise that I really messed things up.'' She sighed and knew she sounded really desperate.

  
Instead of yelling, crying or whatever stupid shit she'd expect someone to do after hearing such news, Jacob did something different. He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly.

  
''What did I do to earn that?'' She smiled weakly.

  
"I just think that you really need some time to think. '' He stepped on his bike and was about to go when she stopped him.

  
''Wait a second, you should be mad at me!'' She yelled, confused.

  
''I am, believe me. But a swan was just hit by a car and someone stood on their hamster. I'm on call. So just, call me when you're ready, Liv.''  
  
.....  
  
Tony and Aaron were having lunch together. Because they had to. There are not many people that Aaron would do something like this for, and he definitely didn't do it for his own happiness. But as long as he did something for Liv and it was the right thing to do, he'd have lunch with Tony. It wasn't like he'd be enjoying himself either, and that counts for something.

  
''So,'' Tony began, ''How's Robert?''

  
''I'm not gonna talk about 'im.''  
''Ah, it's gonna be that kinda lunch.'' Aaron gave him one of his best fuck-off-faces. ''You know, the one where you pay. So you decide what we talk about?''

  
''If you really want to know; crap. I sorta outed him in front of his parents and now he'll never want to see me again.''

  
Tony tried to give him a sympathetic look, but we all know he wasn't _that_ good of an actor.

  
''But there is something I did want to talk to you about.'' Aaron stated.

  
''You don't say?'' Tony joked with a satisfied smile.

  
''Seeing as you're gonna be a dad, and I'm gonna be a godfather-.''

  
''Wait, who said _you_ are gonna be godfather? What about my brothers?''

  
''They'll be godfathers too, but in a different way y'know.''

  
Tony crossed his arms and sighed, but didn't show a sign of interrupting, so Aaron continued.  
''I thought it might be a good idea to improve our relationship a little. For Liv.''

  
''By winning me over with beers and you're sorta small talk?'' Tony pulled a disgusted face and Aaron had to fight the urge to start a fight.

  
''What's up, Tony? I like you, just as much as you like me, because Liv is pregnant and you're a cheat. And...'' He calmed himself down. ''Sorry, let's do that again..... How, how are ya?'' He stammered.

  
''Oh shut up Aaron. Maybe other people fall for this act, but not me. 'Cause everything you do, Aaron, _everything_ , You do with a reason. Just to draw attention from yourself. So people will like you, and so they don't notice that your life is just a complete mess. And now you wanna focus on _my_ kid. And that is not going to happen! 'Cause you're gonna listen to me now Aaron Dingle, you'll be an uncle, right? Uncle! I'm his father. If he falls over, he comes to me, and I'll kiss his knee. And if he scores, I'll be cheering on the side-line, 'cause I'm gonna be the trainer of his team. Me, not you.'' Tony took a breath and leaned back in his chair. ''And bring me another pint, I'm thirsty.'' He sighs deeply and crosses his arms again.

''Nice, bonding over lunch, ey?''  
  
.....  
  
That Sunday, Adam and Aaron performed again. It's been a while for the both of them. But Aaron wanted to, and Adam really wanted to prove to Victoria that he actually was a singer and it wasn't part of his pick-up line. ,Aaron played on his guitar and everything was going well. Until he realised he had to sing the new song himself, 'cause Adam was too hangover from his day with Victoria, to be bothered to learn the lyrics. They're playing in a pub with a small stage and quite an audience, after their last song, it's Aaron's turn for his new song. He knows he can play guitar, and whatever people say about him, he really doesn't play for the audience itself. He plays because it makes him feel like he's part of the music, and time isn't real and he can drown in melodies and words. The thing he's most scared about though, is his voice, he doesn't really sing, on his own on a stage least of all. But Adams already in a corner with his arm around a small blonde girl that really looks like  a Vic, so he doesn't really have a way back.

  
He begins to play and doesn't look down at his hands, the chords are easy and he looks pretty much straight forward, without really looking. He wants it be over as soon as possible and he realises his voice is a little shaky. He doesn't give up though. He sings and plays and tries to be audible at the same time.  
  
'' _Never look at me the same,_  
_never wonder what you'd say._  
_Never take me out again,_  
_I wonder, wonder, where you went._  
  
_Happy times are not forever,_  
_'cause someone else is always better._  
_Happy days will always end,_  
_I wonder, wonder, where you went.''_  
  
  
When he's finished, he hears some applause and then a big ''Whooooo!'' and it's not from Adam. He looks up and catches Roberts twinkling eyes, before he feels Adams arm around his shoulder pulling him towards Vic. Who, of course is standing next to Robert.

  
''Look at that, mate!'' Adam hooted. ''They're family!''

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave some kudos or a comment if you want! xx


	6. Chapter six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Promised, didn't I :) Anyway, hope there are still people out there who want to read this. If you do, thank you so much!

'Say it.' Aaron exclaimed, while trying to fight Robert and keep his own body on top of him.

  
'I said it three times already, Aaron.' Robert said semi-annoyed from underneath him.

  
'Say it again.' Robert kissed him and Aaron placed his hands in Roberts hair. He gave all into the fantastic, sweet and still hot kiss, and forgot about their fight. Robert grabbed him and turned them around so now he was on top of Aaron. He had his hands on Aaron's forearms trying to keep him still in the bed.

  
'I missed you.' Robert whispered in that tone of voice that made Aaron place his lips on Roberts again as if he was trying to taste the words in his mouth. He had his hands on Roberts ass and was just felt himself getting excited when-

  
'It doesn't mean I'm gay, though.' Robert said, letting go of Aaron and laying down beside him in Aaron's bed.

  
'What doesn't? Pulling me into the nearest bathroom cubicle and getting down on your knees after not seeing me for a week? Or the incredible sex after we got home? Or the _"don't stop, this is the best I've ever felt"_ while I had my tongue in your ass, was that the part that doesn't make you gay?' Aaron joked as he turned his head towards Robert.

  
'I wasn't lying,' Robert laughed, 'but I mean, how do I put this... I know now I like men. Or rather, I like _you_. But I'm not gay, I err, I'm bi. Bisexual.' Robert explained. He sighed deeply and waited a few seconds before he looked into Aaron's eyes again. They calmed him, Aaron noticed.

  
'Ah, okay.' Aaron smiled affectionately at him. 'What did your parents think of that?' He asked.

  
'They're my parents, not yours. It doesn't matter.' Robert said.

  
'Right. Sorry I asked.' Aaron pulled the duvet up towards his stomach and started to play with his hands.

  
'No, no don't be sorry. It's just that, I'm trying to keep being me. Even if I don't really know who that is right now. My parents, well, my _dad_ ,... he's not really fond of me to begin with. So with this on top of it, it's complicated. Okay?' Robert moved his head closer to Aaron's and kissed his cheek. Aaron nodded.

  
'Did you tell him?' Aaron asked after a few minutes of slow kisses. 'Your dad, about us?'

  
'I wasn't sure if we still were a thing.' Robert said with pink cheeks. 'We were just a Robert and an Aaron before.'

  
'But no Robert  _and_ Aaron.' Aaron giggled. This man makes me giggle, he thought, what a world.

  
'But now... we are?'

  
'Yeah,' Aaron said while kissing Roberts from chest to his belly button and lower. 'we are.' he whispered before he felt Robert getting excited again and decided to do something about it. Not noticing the huge smile on Roberts face, whom had just gotten his first boyfriend.  
  


  
.......

 

  
The weeks after that were fantastic. Aaron couldn't remember laughing this much since Adam had dated this rich older woman who would not stop talking about some Susie. Neither did they ever find out if Susie was her cat or her niece.

  
They saw each other whenever they weren't at work, 'cause they were texting then. 9 out of the 10 times Robert stayed over, they were barely ever at Robert's. Only when Robert had lunch or dinner with his family or Aaron practised with Adam or hung out with Liv, they had time to miss each other.

  
Once Aaron decided that in return for a trip to the most pretentious and shitty bar he had ever seen, he wanted Roberts most embarrassing story, he was certain it was the best relationship he ever had.

  
'You don't deserve the purple-party-story yet, you can only unlock it once you've done something more embarrassing in front of me. I'll go with my Elvis-story.'

  
'You play too many videogames.' Giggled Aaron, like a teenage girl. He found he didn't really care though. 'Well, get on with it!'

  
'Okay, so, I think I was, 5? Yeah probably around that age, and my dad was a massive fan of Elvis. Like, he'd play it all the time when he wasn't outside. So, naturally, I learned the moves and words and y'know. The thing he does with the corner of his mouth.' Aaron laughed and poked Robert.

  
'So?'

  
'So, at some point, there was this children's contest in the city. For performances and all that. I wanted to join and, well, I did. _Blue suede shoes_. I did the hair, the dance, the whole thing. My mum also took pictures, I should have them somewhere at home.'

  
'I bet you looked great, little blond Elvis with no front teeth.' Aaron scoffed.

  
'Are you making fun of me now?' Robert said, pretending to be offended.

  
'Only if you let me.' Aaron flirted. 'Continue.'

  
'Well, turned out that  _Like a Virgin_ was more successful, as long as you're mum is dating the guy that organised it all.' Robert sighed. 'I came in second and Andy, I told you about him right?' Aaron nodded, remembering his name coming up once or twice before. 'Well he thought it was hilarious, me losing. Said I should've dressed up as Madonna, and I kinda took it seriously.'

  
'You didn't!'

  
'I did. Even drew a mole on my face.' Robert said hiding his face in his hands.

  
'And still it took you this long to find out you were into blokes?'

  
'I just hadn't met my Sean Penn yet.'

 

'Aren't they divorced?'

 

'Why don't you just shut up for a second, ey?' Robert said before climbing on top of Aaron and doing just that.

 

  
  
.......

 

  
  
Liv had gotten back with Tony. She'd waited for him after his drama group meeting and waved at him from the bench from the other side of the street. Once he noticed her, his smile spread all across his face which made his eyes so small she wondered if he could even see her. He crossed the street and kissed her softly.

  
'Missed ya.' He said.

  
Liv pulled him closer and took his hand.

  
'Come on.' She said

  
They went to a small café close by and sat down in two uncomfortable chairs looking out at the sea. If it hadn't been for a small child to run past them yelling at his mother he wanted to do some game where he could win a action figure, there's a chance they wouldn't have even noticed the small arcade behind them outside the café.

  
'Wanna play a game?' Liv said in a low voice.

  
They played, of course, and Liv won, obviously. Secretly she was thankful for Adam, who knew all the dances to High School Musical and had taught her. Although he'd never admit it to anyone.  
She was happy, and she honestly thought it was going to work out, for a while. That she'd have the baby with Tony and they'd get married and he'd never look at another woman again. It had even become normal for her, Tony, Adam, Victoria, Aaron and Robert to casually have drinks at Aaron's.

  
But she didn't miss all the times Tony nipped outside to make a phone call _for work_. Liv wasn't stupid though, she saw him smiling as he looked at his phone just before he looked up and told her with a straight face he needed to discuss his schedule with his boss for his coming play, outside.

  
And she didn't let him get away with it, no, she gave him hell for it. The worst fight was in Aaron's kitchen. God, she was ready to throw a plate at his head for not understanding how she felt. She didn't though, because it wasn't right. She did throw a dirty towel at the door after he left, which made her feel a little better.

  
One evening, while Tony was at a work party, she decided she wasn't gonna stay at home and wonder when he was gonna come how and who he had spent his evening with. She put her hair in the best-looking messy bun she could make and put on a red summer dress in which she loved the way she looked. On her way to the party she decided to go and have fun with Tony, she could have fun, she shouldn't be this paranoid person she was turning into, she was Liv Dingle for God's sake.

  
When she arrived at the party she saw Tony's bike lying under some other bikes and she could hear Rick Ashley playing from outside. _Bloody actors._ The door was open when she walked in and she saw her reflection in the glass, suddenly an afraid look on her face. The living room was full of drunk actors and "actors" dancing as if their life depended on it. In the mass of people she recognised Tony pretty quickly. She also recognised the girl he was dancing next to, of course, Molly.

She was shamelessly throwing herself at him, the fact that she looked ridiculous made Liv smile. That smile faded when Tony dropped his cocktail (actors don't drink beer, that's  _sooo_ mainstream) on the floor and forced his mouth on Molly's, who happily obeyed.

  
The look on her face would scare of anyone, probably even Cain, her neighbour, who always looked angry, but not Molly. When she opened her eyes during the kiss and they somehow miraculously found Liv's, she winked and then pulled harder on Tony's hair which made him pull her closer by her waist.

  
Liv felt sick from what she saw and ran past the pair to the bathroom where she puked just before she could reach the toilet, she looked at her now ruined shoes. Tony had given them to her. She threw them away right there and walked into the living room again where now Smash Mouth was playing.

  
'Tony!' She yelled over the music. He paralysed and turned towards her, still holding Molly in his arms, the bastard.

  
'Liv! Fancy seeing you here.' He let Molly go and walked towards Liv with open arms. Liv walked outside knowing he would follow her. 'It's not what you think.'

  
'It's not?' Liv said. 'Tell me then, Tony, you weren't kissing that whore to Never Gonna Give You Up? For fuck's sake Tony, if you're gonna cheat on me at least have  _some_ dignity!'

  
He laughed at her.

  
He. Laughed.

  
She was done.

 

  
.......

 

  
  
At the same time that Liv was losing her shit outside some shitty apartment with a joke playlist on. Aaron was having drinks with Adam and Robert in a club that was a little too shabby for his tastes but fit Robert perfectly. He felt confident, maybe because of the amount of alcohol in his bloodstream but most likely because of the conversation he'd had with Robert that morning.

  
They'd discussed the possibility of them living together, or rather, Robert moving in. It wouldn't make much of a difference as he was rarely at his own apartment.

  
'You tell him.' Aaron said to Robert, whom had his arm around him and was busy playing with the cords of his hoodie.

  
'There's nothing to tell, we talked about it but we haven't decided anything yet.'

  
'What?' Adam asked.

  
'He's moving in.'

  
Aaron didn't have to look up to know Robert was giving him the "seriously?" look.

  
'Well, great news boys. For you, that is, not me cause I have no life whatsoever.'

  
'What d'you mean, my sister hasn't called you back?' Robert said slighty too loud.

  
'No she hasn't, must've run away at the idea at having to spent even more "quality time" with you.' Adam quickly said.

  
'No need to get all uptight.' Robert said, clearly a bit hurt by Adams words. 'I'll talk to her if you like?'

  
Like a puppy that saw another dog, Adams face got excited. 'You would? That's mint, mate! I'll get the next round in!'

  
That's when Aaron's phone rang.

 

  
.......

 

  
An hour later, Adam and Robert had been sent back to their own apartments while Aaron and Liv sat in silence on the staircase in their house.

  
'What now?' Aaron asked.

  
'Nothing. I'm carrying his baby, probably.'

  
'Probably?!'

  
'Yeah, he's not the only one I-' Liv was interrupted by her phone ringing. 'That's him.'

  
'Who? Tony?'

  
Liv answered 'Hi, Jacob.'

  
Later that evening, or shall we say, the next morning? Yeah, let's skip ahead a bit.

  
Liv, Aaron, Adam and Jacob were having brunch at Aaron's.

  
'You can't stay there.' Adam told Liv.

  
'I don't know.'

  
"You can just live here." Aaron said.

  
'Well, shouldn't you consult that first?' Adam said while tilting his head in Roberts direction.

  
'You need rest, stress is bad for the little one.' Aaron said, not really getting what Adam was trying to say. 'You can have you're own room back.'

  
'Aaron.' Robert said, while cutting the bread.

  
'Yes?' Aaron said, a little irritated.

  
'Nothing.' Robert said quietly.

  
Aaron finally caught up with the message. 'Liv, you have to realise this. I don't want anything to happen to the baby. And this is your home. Don't you think it's the best solution for now?' He asked no one in particular.

  
'I thought Rob was gonna move in?' Adam said, getting sick of the two not communicating properly.

  
'Why don't we talk about it tomorrow.' Liv said, standing up.

  
'No, there's no problem. It's your house too. Anyway, we're gonna go to Amsterdam this weekend so we won't be in your way.' Aaron said while Liv sat down again. He smiled at Robert, who smiled back, a little forced. 

  
'Jacob, mate, why don't you say something.' Adam said.

  
'You're pregnant.' Jacob said to Liv, clearly uncomfortable.

  
After a rather uncommon brunch, Liv and Jacob went for a walk with Clyde.

  
'There's a chance you're the father. I'm not gonna lie about that.' Liv said matter-of-factly.

  
'Yes. I'm not sure what to think to be honest. Jeez, Liv, I... I don't know.'

  
'Why aren't you angry that I lied, before I mean.'

  
'I will be, don't worry.'

  
'Where's Clyde?' Liv said, looking nervously over her shoulder.

  
'He'll follow us.' Jacob stopped walking. 'I'm kinda your Clyde, aren't I?'

  
'I'm sorry,' Liv said, 'come on, Jacob. I'll give you a cookie.'

 

  
.......

 

  
The following friday, Aaron was at the train station waiting for Robert, who wasn't showing.

  
He felt kinda bad about not discussing Liv moving in, but honestly, it didn't have to be such a big deal. Robert seemed to like her and it  _was_ Liv's house too. Why should he have done? Leave his pregnant little sister with her cheating boyfriend so he could have his own move in and don't worry about Liv? He couldn't do that, Robert must understand. Although maybe if he did, he wouldn't have missed their train.

  
After two missed calls to Robert, Aaron walked outside into the pouring rain. It had been really hot that morning so of course he only had a backpack and a T-shirt to shield him from the rain, _fucking England._

  
'Aaron!' He heard behind him, not looking over. Then he felt a strong, warm hand on his shoulder, turning him around.

  
There was Robert in a soaked white shirt that stuck to his chest, if Aaron didn't feel so sad he might have had some fun with it.

  
'Aaron wait a minute.' They stopped on the middle of the sidewalk, the rain getting worse every second.

  
'You're too late.' Aaron said.

  
'I know, Aaron, I'm sorry.'

  
'We missed the train, but you don't have to worry about that. Travelling light, are we?' Aaron felt himself getting irritated, he didn't like it.

  
He looked down at Roberts hands, no luggage.

  
'I don't want to go to Amsterdam.' Robert said, the rain making his hair stick to his forehead. He looked like a little boy.

  
'I figured.'

  
'Don't be like that.'

  
'I'm not being like anything, we were gonna go away, for the weekend. Together. Then you were gonna move in and we were gonna have fun together, being in love.' Aaron hissed, not caring about keeping cool anymore. 'Isn't that what you want? Because-.'

  
'Stop! For once, just, stop!' Robert stammered. 'Okay? You, you don't give me a chance to breathe, to speak. You suffocate me the way you treat me. I haven't had the chance to decide what I want and who I am, 'cause you've already done that for me. You already know I want to live together and I don't mind Liv sleeping in-between us.' He took a shaky breath and looked up from his shoes, angrily. 'I told you I'm bi and the only thing you got from that is I'm just still a closetcase! You think you know more about me because I'm still coming to terms with being me, but I've just had my life turned upside-down and I can't handle you trying to form me.'

  
Aaron stood there hearing Roberts words and they got him right where it hurt.

  
'You know what you do? You ask a question, but you don't want to know the answer. I don't want that.' Robert continued.

  
'At least you're being honest.' Aaron mumbled, feeling all his happiness fading away.

  
'No,' Robert said with a shocked expression, seeing how harsh his words had been, 'I didn't mean it like that.'

  
'Yes you do.' Aaron said, picking his bag off the ground and walking away.

  
'Aaron. Aaron, please. It doesn't have to be this way.' 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos mean a lot to me! If you hesitate, think of the smile I'll have on my face just because you wrote something or gave me kudos! It'll be such a big smile!


	7. Chapter seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was probably the hardest chapter for me to write. I hope it has the emotion I tried to put in it.

  
Liv was at the hospital, alone, well not really alone. The baby in her belly had gotten quite big already, and it would be obvious to anyone looking her way that she was pregnant. She couldn't wear any tight T-shirts anymore, not that she wanted that anyway. So she wore one of Aaron's old hoodies and comfortable pants. Winter had come around and she felt even colder than normal. She might look more like a tug than a mother at the moment, but at least she wasn't the only one in the waiting room with dressing problems.

  
Next to her was a woman, maybe 10 years older than her, who had managed to get her round stomach in some overalls. Still, Liv thought, she could totally pull it off.  A little boy was on the woman's lap while she closely watched a young girl reading a book at the children's table.

  
'Why can't Jack play, mum?' The girl asked the woman.

  
'He doesn't want to, Sarah. You can't force him.'

  
The little boy hid his face in his mother's neck.

  
'I hope I get a sister.' The girl said. 'Then I can play with her.'

  
Liv laughed a little and the woman turned to her.

  
'I'm sorry.' Liv said.

  
'Oh, no worries.' The woman said. 'Your first one?' She asked, pointing her head towards Liv's belly.

  
'Yeah.' Liv laughed nervously.

  
'It's not as scary as it looks. And I guess it's easier when you have a someone to help you.'

  
'Got that covered,' Liv said, 'two fathers and an eager uncle or two.'

  
'Ms Dingle?' The assistant called.

  
'That's me.' Liv said as she stood up.

  
'Good luck.' The woman said.

  
'Thanks, you too.'

  
Liv walked over to the young doctor waiting for her and shook his hand. He led the way and she followed, only to rush back and get her bag a minute later.

  
The young girl handed it to her.

  
'I bet you'll have a really pretty baby.'

  
'Thank you.' Liv said, smiling.

 

  
.......

 

  
Aaron was practicing with Adam. After their last performance they had gotten another gig at some rich hipster girl's party. They didn't perform often, but they could both do with some quick cash and didn't have a lot on that week, so they decided to practice some new material.

  
Adam had written a new song, surprisingly not about a short blonde named Victoria this time, and was now playing it on Aaron's guitar while singing very, very loudly. Aaron couldn't deny it sounded really good, but he could hardly hear the guitar. 

  
When Adam had finished he wrote down the chords he'd used for Aaron, but stopped when his phone rang.

  
'Vic?' Aaron mouthed when he picked up. Adam shook his head with a shocked expression. He pointed to Aaron's phone. He had three missed calls from Liv.

  
'What's wrong?' Aaron said.

  
'We have to go to the hospital, something's wrong with Liv.' Adam said when he hung up.

  
They drove as fast as he could and certainly got some tickets for speeding, but they were at the hospital within half an hour. Aaron's pants got stuck when he stepped out of the car however and Adam was trying to free him. Just before he was gonna say Aaron would have to step out of his trousers, they heard Liv.

  
'I wanna go home.'

  
And so they did.

  
In the driveway of Aaron and Liv's place, Adam turned off the engine. None of them knew what to say.  
Liv was in the front seat and had explained everything during the ride, in her lap were Aaron's pants and behind her was sitting their speechless owner.

  
'I don't know if I can do this.' Liv said. 'Be ill.'

  
'We're there too.' Aaron got out.

  
'Can I stay with you?' Liv asked.

  
'Yes.'

  
She laughed. 'You got your way.'

  
'I'd rather not have.'

  
'What's that?' Liv asked, pointing to a package on the dashboard of the car.

  
'Oh that,' Adam smiled and picked it up, 'couldn't help it.' He handed it to Liv, who opened it.

  
'That's sweet.' She said while holding the baby shoes in her hand.

  
'D'you know anything about...' Adam asked.

  
'The baby, you mean. Yeah, he or she, they're healthy.'

  
They smiled.

 

  
.......

 

  
Still, Liv was in Uni. She had a thesis to write and time to spend with Jacob. They talked a lot. He had a calming effect on her and loved sitting in their garden with his head on her lap. She couldn't deny that running her hands trough his thick brown hair made her feel warm inside.

  
It was hard. Being ill, being pregnant, being a student and on top of that, being young. Liv was coping, she wasn't gonna drop out, give up or stop having fun. But it was hard.

  
She cried when she had to, turned her thesis in when she had to, stopped by the hospital for check-ups which usually led* to more bad news when she had to, and she ate all of Aaron's ice-cream when she had to. No one would notice an extra pound, she thought.

  
And then, she graduated.

  
Aaron threw her a big party with all of her classmates and friends, some she still talked to, others she hadn't seen outside of the few classes she still had to and could attend. They were having a hard time too, she thought. No one wants to be around the messed up girl with the bad luck. But they were there and she was glad. It made her happy to be surrounded by young people, she felt young again. What also made her happy was watching Adam put a graduation hat on Victoria's head under the lights Aaron had decorated the garden with. 

  
She'd made Adam invite Victoria, they'd been on a few dates and she was tired of them being difficult. Adams smile when he told her she was coming was bigger than ever, but maybe that was because she hadn't seen it in a while. 

  
It made her feel less useless.

  
'Listen up everyone!' Aaron yelled in the middle of their garden. 'Dear Liv, we have got a special gift for you.'

  
'Not as special as Liv's last birthday though, I hope you all remember the chocolate fountain! Adam joked.

  
'As I was saying, we're really bloody proud of you 'cause you finished your thesis. And well, _Adam, show her._ Applause for Liv!'

  
Adam handed her her present, her thesis _Time to Spare_ , bound. The red hardcover contained all her work from the last few months. Below the title it said _"By Liv Dingle"_ in golden letters. 

  
'Cheers to Prof. Dingle over here!' Adam hooted.

 

.......

 

  
Everyone had their own way of celebrating.

  
Adam got pissed. Liv's friends cried. Some did both. Jacob spend the biggest part of the evening reading her thesis. He loved it, he said. Almost as much as her. Aaron was constantly making sure she was having fun, while also drinking more beers than he could count. 

  
In the end, it was one hell of a party. Liv was the only one not completely hammered in the end, but still joined when everyone wanted to dance. She felt young and free, like she was supposed to. One evening of only having fun and seeing people she had missed was exactly what she'd needed. She kept thanking Aaron, who stopped her after the tenth time and told her she deserved it. Victoria had decided to make cocktails at some point, alcohol-free and delicious. Clyde made a lot of new friends that evening and even got a few pieces of the cake Jacob had baked.

  
When Liv had said her last goodbye's and see you soon's, all she wanted to do was go to sleep. The whole party had demanded a lot of energy from her and she knew she'd feel the consequences for days to come. She let out a big sigh and decided to let Jacob carry her to bed and fall asleep in his arms. She didn't want to take another step.

Unfortuantely, at that moment she saw someone approaching her, whom she hadn't seen in weeks.

  
'Tony?' 

  
Without saying a word he got down to his knees in front of her, she took a small step back. Suddenly feeling a lot of emotions coming back.

'Dear Liv, everything I could have possibly done wrong, I did wrong. And I regret it. It makes me sick thinking of it. I can't look in the mirror without thinking of you.' Tears were streaming down his face as he looked up to her. 'Liv, will you marry me?'

  
'Because I'm dying?' Liv replied. Getting down and sitting on the ground opposite of Tony. She kept a bit of distance between them, not trusting either of them at the moment. The pain that she saw on Tony's face was something new, he'd never looked so small and insecure in front of her before. She felt bad for him, although she knew he didn't deserve it.

  
'You're not gonna die.' He said, making a move to hold her hand.

  
'No.' She said, pulling her hand away, 'I am. I am dying and I won't marry you. I can't. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do, with all my heart and with my fat belly and my striae. But, I love someone else too. So I can't marry you.'

  
He cried even harder.

  
'But what I can do is, give you a cup of tea?' She said, thinking of a way to stop him from crying, it didn't suit him. 'But then you have to go inside, where  _Jacob_ is too. I don't know if you'd want that.'

  
He shook his head and wept his tears from his face.

  
'I thought so.'

 

  
.......

 

  
Not long after, they started decorating the baby's room, it wouldn't be that long before she'd give birth and everything had to be ready long before. They also redid Liv's room, to Aaron's instructions. 

  
Liv's body had gone downhill pretty quick, she was really fucking pregnant and on top of that sick. Mentally, she wasn't in the best place either.

  
'Well, this looks like a great place to die.' She said, looking at her new room, her voice was cold. She'd decided not to put her old posters up again, they reminded her of Tony and their old apartment where they'd hung. Her room didn't look as happy as it used to, with the empty walls and her bed prominently in the middle of the room instead of in the sunshine by the windows. On her bedside table were the fresh flowers Victoria had brought her. Next to the table was a pink bucket, it was her vomit-bucket which had apparently just been emptied.

  
'Hey, don't get cynical. I won't tolerate cynicism, you may be sick but I'll throw you out if you're cynical.' Aaron snapped.

  
'Yeah, Aaron, you'd throw me out while I'm terminally ill?'

  
'Stop it, you two!' Adam said while painting the baby room door. 'I know this banter, it starts funny but then it gets worse and you're both gonna cry. I'm not having it.'

  
'I'd throw you out, yeah.' Aaron said, ignoring Adam. 'You may have a sick body, but don't let cynicism kill your spirit, Liv, please. We'll try and make you better. Chemo, radiation,-'

  
'We?  _We're_ gonna do chemo? No, Aaron. I am! The only spirit you have is when you're drinking away your sorrows with Adam. It's me that's dying and I won't get better! I'm not getting better!' Liv's voice broke. She was angry and so, so afraid.

  
'I know that.' Aaron said, tears in his eyes. 'I'm so sorry.' And then he's crying, like Liv has seen him so often now. She hugs him, willing herself not to cry, what good is it gonna do? 

 

  
.......

 

  
Later, as Liv was asleep under her Barbapapa sheets on the couch and Jacob reading on the ground next to her. The doorbell rang. Liv opened her eyes and saw Jacob opening the door.

  
'So you're the famous Jacob.' She heard Tony say.

  
'Yeah... Come in, we were expecting you. Tea?'

  
Then Tony stood there, right in front of her. Clearly shocked from her appearance. She knew she was pale and her eyes looked tired, being ill did that to you, certainly on bad days like that one. She faked a smile which seemed to make him feel a littble better. She'd gotten pretty good at that.

  
'Aren't we mature?' He joked with a sad smile while he sat down in one of the chairs opposite to the couch.

  
'Yeah,' she said 'thank the fucking Lord.'

  
Jacob came back and handed Tony his tea. He sat down in the other chair and they both waited for Liv to speak.

  
'Okay,' She said, 'it's difficult for me to choose. Not the first time, by the way. When I was a kid I always felt guilty when I was playing with my dolls instead of my monster trucks.' She smiled. 'And then when I was playing with my trucks, it felt like my paintbrushes were staring at me. Anyway, what I wanted to say,' She put her hair behind her ears. 'It's a boy. And, I want him to be called Harry.'

  
'Okay.' Tony said.

  
'Jacob?'

  
'Yes, fine. I like it.'

  
'Wait a minute, why are you asking him?' Tony asked, a bit hurt.

  
'Because either of you could be the father.'

  
'Yeah, but... Wait a sec...' He objected.

  
'I don't wanna know who _is_. It's not important, it's... It's good the way it is. Harry,' She breathed deeply trying to stop her voice from shaking. 'Harry is a part of _me._ I want you both to love him and be there for him, because that's how it is.' 

  
Both men nodded and that was that.

 

  
.......

 

  
Two weeks later, Liv had to go to the hospital. Not for a check-up or a visit, but because she had to. An ambulance had gotten her from her house to her room in the hospital and she'd hated every second of it. She hated that she couldn't sit upright, and that she couldn't walk back if she wanted to. She even hated that Cain was outside waving at her. She hated that it made her feel worse, not knowing when and if she would be back.

  
Her room in the hospital wasn't bad, could've been much worse. Although she didn't like the white, now mostly yellow curtains. They looked sad, depressing, even.   


  
But her bed was soft and Adam seemed to sit comfortably in the chair next to her.

  
'Adam,' She said, while Aaron was talking to her doctor, 'can I have prettier curtains? Nice ones? Can I?'

  
'Of course.'

 

  
.......

 

  
'Aaron, do you think I did the right thing?' She asked him while he was trying to get car oil off of his face. He still worked at the garage, mostly because he needed to be kept busy, Adam said. 

  
'What thing?' Aaron asked her.

  
'Everything. Did I do everything right?'

  
'Yes.' He said, smiling for her in the mirror. 'I do think that.'

  
'I was afraid you'd say that.'

  
'What?'

  
'That you'd lie to me on my deathbed.'

  
'Don't be silly.' He said, turning around. 'I think mum would be proud of you.'

  
'Funny,' She said quietly, while scamming through a magazine Jacob had given her. 'it doesn't really mean that much to me. I'd rather hear you say it.'

  
Aaron smiled.

  
'Ooh, my horoscope says I'm gonna see an old acquaintance again and that I should stay hopeful. I bet Jacob picked this one because of that.'

 

  
.......

 

  
The next day, while Adam was changing the curtains in Liv's room. Aaron and Clyde stopped by at the small theater where Tony had drama class. 

  
'Tony!' Aaron yelled, 'What are you doin'?'

  
'I'm rehearsing.' Tony said, turning back to the guy he had been talking to.

  
'So?'

  
'So, not here, Aaron.' He said, annoyed.

  
'If not here, where? Liv needs you and you're only busy with the latest Romeo and Juliette. Well guess what, it's been done hundreds of times. No one gives a shit!'

  
Tony walked over to him, 'We're not together.' He said.

  
'Yeah, you just tell yourself that. I haven't seen you at the hospital once! Let me tell you this, you're going to regret it. More regret than you think you'll be able to cope with in the future, Tony. More than you know.'

  
'I'm sorry.' Tony muttered.

  
'Sure.' 

  
'I mean it. I'm sorry. I can't cope, I can't do... this.' Tony said before walking away and leaving Clyde disappointed after recognising him.

 

  
.......

 

  
A week later. Back at the hospital, a doctor stopped Aaron before going into Liv's room.

  
'How is it possible?' Aaron asked the doctor after being explained what's going on. 'Is it  _that_ bad?'

  
'I'm afraid so. Her body won't be able to cope with giving birth. We can operate without complications, but I think you should stay here.'

  
Aaron went to sit next to Adam outside Liv's room. He took a sip of the coffee Jacob had brought him, it tasted like shit, as always. He looked up in search of a trashcan but froze when he saw Robert making his way through the hallway. When he spotted Aaron he started a small sprint towards him.

  
He took Aaron in his arms immediately.

  
'Sorry I'm late.' Robert whispered.

  
'Thanks for coming.' Aaron whispered back.

  
When they let go, they both had tears in their eyes.

  
'I... I didn't know. Vic told me last week and then this morning I called Adam and he told me... I'm so sorry Aaron. I completely understand if you want me to go.' Aaron saw the regret on Robert's face, he wanted to stay, and Aaron wanted him to.

  
'You better not.'

 

Aaron smiled weakly, texting Victoria the news immediately.

 

  
.......

 

  
It's funny how one second there's sadness and fear and the other there's a tiny baby in your arms that you'd be prepared to die for. 

It's funny how that feeling can make you say the stupidest things like

  
 _'I love you'_ to a baby you've only known for a minute

  
or

 

_'You beautiful tiny human'_   to a surprised doctor. (to be fair it was meant for the baby but Adam couldn't see much cause of the happy tears).

 

It's funny how no one can tell you not to drink champagne at half past ten in the morning.

 

It's funny how no amount of alcohol can make you forget that you have a son, or a nephew.

  
It's funny how a hallway full of guys can turn into a crying mess because of another guy entering.

 

It's funny how Harry, when he was told this story by his uncle Adam, he cried too. Of happiness, that is.

  
It's funny how someone else's baby, who has a whole life left to live, can make you see sense in your own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think! Kudos and much appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably 1 more chapter after this one and then that's it.
> 
> Hope you like this one (or don't hate it at least)

Liv was a mother.

  
A good one, Aaron had said.

  
She'd given birth to her rather gorgeous son and was now in a slighty better physical state.

  
She was still ill, unfortunately. But she'd come to accept that that wasn't gonna change. She was not gonna give up, she was gonna make the most of her life, spend time with her son (who was bloody gorgeous, had I mentioned?), and spend time with her loved ones.

  
She'd put a person on the earth. Out of her sick body onto a sick earth, she thought. But she damn well did it. He was healthy, all 10 fingers, 10 toes, 1 head and a beating tiny heart.  
Harry was gonna be alright. That was the most important thing to her.

  
....... 

  
Liv was sitting outside the hospital on a bench enjoying some early sunshine when Aaron came towards her with the stroller Jacob had bought. She was happy to see her son again, any minute he wasn't right there in her arms, she was worried.

  
'Where is uncle Adam?' Aaron said to Harry. 'Have you seen uncle Adam? No you haven't, cause you are... asleep. He's asleep.' Aaron smiled and sat down next to Liv and handed her the sleeping baby carefully.

  
'What are you thinking about?' He asked her quietly.

  
'I want Harry to live with you.'

  
Aaron looked surprised. 'He's got two dads.' He objected, looking at the little boy.

  
'I know, but - Tony's still a kid himself and I just don't think Jacob's the father. Harry's better off with you. With Adam and Tony and Jacob, too. Aaron?'

  
He turned his head towards her as she took a deep breath. He saw how hard it was for her to get the next words out and waited patiently.

  
'Will you give up everything for me one more time?'

  
He looked at Harry with a smile and then back at Liv and nodded.

  
'Of course I will.'

  
She laid her head on his shoulder and smiled weakly as he kissed her forehead. They sat there for a while, Aaron telling Liv stories about when she was a baby and how much Harry looked like her. The first time he held her and how much their mum had loved her. Eventhough she'd heard the stories before, they suddenly meant a lot more to her. 

  
Liv let out a few tears when Harry opened his eyes and she saw him looking right at her. 'I'm your mummy.' She whispered. 'And you, you are Harry. Even if you don't know it yet.'

  
Adam picked them up a few minutes later and started talking about Victoria who had just called him her boyfriend for the first time. He was over the moon when he got to hold Harry and introduce himself properly, the handshake was a bit difficult but they both seemed satisfied when Adam handed him back to his mother.

  
It made Liv happy to know Adam would be okay. Victoria was a nice person, they'd gone shopping together once already and although Vic was quite a bit older than her, it felt like she'd gained a new friend. Vic had also promised her to bake pancakes for her sometime. Whether Liv would get them or not, it was a nice gesture and she liked thinking that Adam would have someone else to watch romcom's with while pretending not to cry.

  
....... 

  
Before long, it was Aarons birthday.

  
Last year it had been great, Adam had taken him to a rugby match in Ireland and they'd had the best time. Liv had given him a new guitar which he hadn't playing on for weeks.  
This year was different.

  
Aaron had forgotten.

  
He'd woken up in Roberts arms and got up to check up on Harry when he was pulled back to the bed.

  
'Where d'ya think you're goin'?' Robert mumbled.

  
'Harry.'

  
'He's at Adam's.'

  
'What?'

  
'Adam took him home last night. I asked him to.'

  
'Why? You're not making any sense.'

  
'You do know what today is, right?'

  
That's when it started making a little bit more sense.

  
'There it is.' Robert said, laughing. 'Now c'mere birthday boy.'

  
Robert kissed him, slowly, sensual. They kissed for a long time, Robert lying on top of him in just his boxers. They kissed until Aaron felt light-headed and he had to let go. That's when Robert started kissing his neck while simultaneously trying to pull Aarons shirt over his head. Failing, he went back to his mouth.

  
'Wait, wait.' Aaron said, breathless, before pulling his shirt over his head and turning Robert so now he was on top.

  
They were kissing more roughly now, like trying to crawl into each other. Then Aaron started kissing down Roberts chest, stopping by his favourite freckles and looking up at Robert when he heard a moan.

  
'You're stealing my plan.' Robert mumbled.

  
'Complaining?'

  
'Just... let me.'

  
Robert turned them around again before removing Aarons boxers.

  
'Happy birthday.' He whispered, before going down on him and giving his first present of the day.

  
....... 

  
Two hours and a long, hot shower later, Aaron and Robert went downstairs to have breakfast when the doorbell rang. Victoria opened the door with Harry in her arms.

  
'Happy birthday!' She said with a big smile. 'Celebrated already have we?'

  
Aaron shot Robert a semi-angry look for giving him a clearly visible hickey.

  
Adam appeared behind Vic and jumped immediatly on Aaron. 'Happy birthday, mate!'

  
Robert noticed Jacob coming up to the house and gave him an awkward smile.

  
'Congrats on your...' He said, making a hand gesture in Aarons direction.

  
'Boyfriend.' Robert said with a big honest smile.

  
They went inside after a while when Adam let go of his best mate.

  
'Happy birthday, Aaron.' Jacob said while handing him a poorly wrapped tape.

  
Aaron shot him a questioning look.

  
'It's for you, and Liv. These are the sea lions. Because the composer was too lazy to write them.'

  
'Aha! Thanks, mate.' Aaron said, smiling. 'I'm just gonna check up on her. Robert will give you cake or sommat.'

  
Aaron went upstairs and saw Liv lying in the bed, she looked better than the day before. But then again, every day was different with her.

  
'I painted my nails for you.' She said, looking down at her hands. 'Well, Vic did it really. But you don't mind, do you?'

  
'It's pretty.' Aaron said, his mind going back to when she was a teenager and always complaining about _girly things_ like nail polish. After one of her friends convinced her once, she'd decided it wasn't so bad to be girly sometimes. She'd really grown up, Aaron realised. He felt a bit proud of himself for that.

  
'I didn't get you a present.' Liv told him.

  
'Doesn't matter. Just give me two next year.' Aaron joked with a sad smile.

  
'Yeah... next year.' Liv said, smiling at her big brother.

  
....... 

  
That afternoon, after all the cake was eaten and Adam had hugged Aaron several more times before giving him his present, Adam pulled out a bottle of... something. They did some shots, how many exactly, no one really remembered. But it was one hell of a good time.

  
Liv could hear them all, through her window. She didn't want to. She didn't want to just HEAR them, she wanted to be there. But she didn't need alcohol to pass out in the middle of the day, or to vomit all over herself. She could do that all by just being ill.

  
She was happy for them, of course she was. She was happy Harry was healthy and happy, Aaron and Robert were happy together, Jacob got on quite well with all of them, and she was happy Adam and Vic took such good care of Harry. She knew they were both getting more and more excited about babies in general and she was happy she contributed to that.

  
Unfortunately, that was all she was happy about.

  
....... 

  
Liv was lying in her bed, looking up at Aaron who was making little Harry's bed. She smiled at him, she put every bit of love she had in that smile. She couldn't get herself to speak but she said everything right there. He smiled back at her, a warm feeling spread in her stomach. Then she heard Harry crying from the other room.

  
Sweet, beautiful, perfect Harry.

  
She watched Aaron leave as he went to check up on Harry.

  
They'd be okay.

  
So she breathed out.

  
_'Hey ho, let's go. Hey ho, let's go. They're forming in a straight line, they're going trough a tight wind.'_ Aaron sang softly in that special voice people only use for babies.

  
He picked up his little nephew and carried him over to Liv.

  
_'The kids are losing their minds. Blitzkrieg-'_ He stopped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. But you must've seen it coming right? 
> 
> Oh and the song/lullaby Aaron sings at the end is 'Blitzkrieg Pop' by the Ramones. (Personal favourite of mine)
> 
> If you feel like leaving a comment, please don't hesitate. They are much appreciated!
> 
> Seriously, I'm surprised every time that people actually read the stuff I write.
> 
> Thanks guys.


End file.
